Fact vs. Fiction

PEN America has condemned federal prosecutors for including James Comey’s crime novel FDR Drive—and its PW review—as evidence in a new legal filing against the former FBI director. This year’s National Book Festival, hosted by the Library of Congress, will include more cultural programming in an effort to showcase the lesser known divisions of the beleaguered agency, including its centers for film and music. And in an eight-figure deal, Bramble has acquired a four-book dystopian romance series from Devney Perry, whose bestselling Shield of Sparrows romantasy novels were published by Red Tower. In other news, U.K. print book sales appear on track for a record-breaking year, reports the Bookseller. Rachel Cusk talks with the New York Times about watching her forthcoming novel, Life of M, become fodder for celebrity gossip. Vox has laid off four employees—including book critic and books newsletter editor Constance Grady—as it “narrows its editorial focus” under new owner James Murdoch, per the Wrap. Romance author Tia Williams announced on the Open Book with Jenna podcast that she will publish two new novels in 2027, via People. Florida voters have flipped the conservative majority on the school board at the center of the national push for book bans, the Washington Post reports. And 404 Media’s Jason Koebler argues that Anthropic’s watermarking system for AI-generated text reveals how the tech firm devalues the craft of writing.